Local Government Elections: Special votes to be cast this weekend

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) says its all systems go for the casting of special ballots this weekend, ahead of the local government elections on Monday, 1 November.

Special voting is permitted for two reasons: If one is unable to go to their voting station because they are physically infirm, pregnant or disabled and for those who can visit a voting station but cannot do so on Election Day. By the start of October, the IEC gad received more than 741 000 applications for special votes.

Well over 26 million people have registered to vote in the municipal elections and a total of 4 468 wards are being contested.

Municipal elections: ‘No walk-ins’ for special votes

Close to 44% of the special votes are for home visits: The IEC has urged those in this category to make they avail themselves at home so they can cast their ballots. Over 56% of the applications were approved to visit their voting station. The electoral body has stressed that those who did not submit applications for special votes will not be able to cast their ballots, so no walk-ins will be allowed under any circumstances.

IEC Deputy Chief Electoral Officer for Outreach, Mawethu Mosery told SABC News that they are ready to start with special votes on Saturday.

“Over a hundred thousand that we declined when they applied for special votes. We need to inform political parties because they are part of the process. So we say these are the applicants. These are the approved. This is how we will visit them and this is where we will expect them. So all of that detail must be shared upfront. That is why we closed special votes two weeks ago,” he said.